Wedding swoop ‘uncovered more cases of fraud’

Although they swooped on Leeds Town Hall on March 28 because suspicions had been raised about Slovakian national Maria Racova and Pakistani student Muhammad Usman, inquiries then revealed others present had been trying to get round immigration rules by also marrying European citizens, Kama Melly, prosecuting, told Leeds Crown Court.

One of those was Mohammed Mughal who had married another Slovakian, Ivana Holubova, in a “marriage of convenience” in December last year, which if legitimate would have given him status to remain in the UK after his student visa had expired, she said.

Another guest attending the register office was Farrukh Khan who had married Holubova’s sister Zlatica on October 12 last year when his student visa was also expiring.

Miss Melly claimed when that ceremony took place the bride knew it was a sham wedding.

The fourth Pakistani man arrested at the Town Hall in March was Syed Gardezi who had made an application to marry another Slovakian, Livia Grundzova, which was still being processed at the time.

She told the jury it was the Crown’s case two others at the register office that day were involved in facilitating the plot – Eva Facunova acting as an interpreter while Lukas Murgos lived at the same address as three of the women involved.

Gardezi, 21, of Lambton Terrace, Leeds; Facunova, 32, of Vivian Place, Little Horton, Bradford; Grundzova, 21, of Conway View, Harehills, Leeds; Murgos, 22, and Zlatica Holubova, 29, both of Brompton Road, East Bowling, Bradford all deny conspiracy to breach immigration law.

The jury has heard Racova, Usman, Mughal, Ivana Holubova and Khan have admitted their part in the conspiracy.

Miss Melly told the jury “crib sheets” were found at some of the addresses to help the prospective bride and groom to know details about each other.

The trial continues.